Improvement in elevated railways



UNITED -i PATENTOFFICE.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No.-13,240,.datedEebruary 8, 18765 applicationiiled I -v July 12, 1875.

Toall wliom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. WILLsHIRE RILEY,

of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Elevated Railroads, of which the following is a specification: i

This linvention relates to certain improve# ments in elevated railways, and cars for the same; and consists, rst, in two parallel rails, supported, one above the other,.upon suitable standards, the upper'rail forming a continuous track for the car to travel-upon, the lower one beingl provided with a broad flange to retain the car upon the track by means of suitable guide-wheels journaled in hangers depending from each side of the car, the two rails being strengthened and braced together by means of angle-irons, as hereinafter more fully set forth; second, in an improved turn-section, to provide for crossing the tracks, consisting of a w'ronght-iron-rail headed frame swiveled to the upper end of one ofthe supportingstandards, in combination with an annular guide-plate and upright curved standards attached to the main standards for supporting the ends of the swiveled frame and the rails, and in certain improvements-in the devices for operating the turn-section.

In the drawing, Figure l represents a perspective view of my improved railway, and Figf2 a transverse sectional view through the turn-section and its.'supportingstandard The letter A represents the upper and B the lower rails, in sections, as usual, the vends of which are supported upon the standards B B. The upper rail-sections rest at the ends in vertical slots b, formed for the purpose in the upper ends of the standards B', the angcs at the top resting upon the extreme endsy ofthe said standards, forming a con tinuous and unbroken surface for the carwheel to travel upon. The lower rails are provided with broad ianges b2 b2, projecting at each side, and their ends are slotted in such manner that the iianges and webs will embrace the standards and form a continuous bearing-surface when the sections are put together, to allow the guide-wheels of the car, presently to be described,'to travel along said rail, against the -webs and below the flanges.

The letter C represents a series of channeled langle-irons or braces', secured longitudinally between the upper and lower rails by means 'forrnfpreferably rectangular in cross-section, Y

although they may be of any other shapes, and

. are provided at their lower ends with a series of fourangular plates, b3, set at rightangles with'eacli other, which give said 'standards ay firm and secure bearing upon the ground'or other supports.

The letter E represents the standard which .supports the switch-section, and which is likewise made tubular. Said standard is of just sufficient height to come flush, or nearly Hush, with the under sides of the lower rails. The

top of said standard is formed with an annular bearing-face, upon which the annular shoulder g of the switch-section or frame G rests and is adapted to rotate.

The letter F represents a series of four curved standards, attached at right'angles to each other to the standard E, their upper ends reaching to a sufticient height to support the ends of the lower rails, which are secured to said standards in any convenient manner.

The letter H represents an annular way, supported upon shoulders I, upon the standards vli, in such position that its upper surface will form a bearing for the lower ends of the switch-section or frame G, which travel upon it. The said switch-section consists of a strong Wrought-iron frame, the upper side of which conforms in shape to the upper rails and the lower side to the lower rails, forming, when in line with the said rails, a continuation of the same; Said frame is slotted, as shown at g1, for the reception of the locking-bolts k, whichy project through similar slots in the supports L L of the rails, beingattachedto the lower rail and operated by the rodsla k, extending downwardly to. within 'convenient reaching distance. The central portion g2 of the frame G extends downward in the form of a rod or shaft, g?, throughsuitable bearings into the. tubular column or standard F,`,terminating at a convenient point in an inverted crown or other gear-wheel, meshingy into rthe threads of theiworm-screw M, provided with -a hand wheel, N, by means of which the switch-section can be rotated.

The letter P represents the car adapted' to travel upon the railway as above constructed. Said .car is` mountedupon a truck, R,from which project upright standards S, indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Said standards are slotted longitudinally, as` shown, and in` said slotsare journale'd the grooved wheels T, which travel upon the upper track, the front and rear portions of the car being slotted for- .the purpose.

The letterV represents two tanks, secured one` at each side ofthe car-truck, and forming part of the same, in such position as to fall below the truck proper and serve as counter-balai ces to the same. To said tanln, or to the sides ofthe truck, are secured the upper ends of the hangers W, similar hangers W' depending from and being secured to the bottom of the car, said hangers meeting below and being rmly secured to a block, Z, in .which the guide-wheels which engage under the ilanges of the lower rail are journaled.

It will be perceived, as thus constructed, that the car sets entirely above the upper rail instead oi'straddling it, the tanks at each side of the track, which fa-ll below the rail, forming the counter-balances, the guide-wheels tra ing under the ilanges of the lower rail, pr"` venting the car from jumping the track nude", any possibility, and the rails as supported af braced together form an elevated track, p`

sessing much more elegance, lightness, an

strength than `any railway of the lkind heretofore constructed..

What AI, claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevated railway, the two parallel rails, supported one above the other upon `suitable standards, the upper one forming a continuous rail for the car to travel upon, and the lower one being provided with a broad gnidediange to retain the car upon the track,

the two being strengthened and braced together by angleirons, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the upper and lower rails, lthe switch-section G, swiveled uponthe upper end ofthe standard E,the curved stand-1 ards F, and the annular way attached there- .to, the crown-wheel attached to `the shaft g3 of said section, and worin-screw to operate the saine, substantially as described.

. W. WILLSHIRE RILEY.

Witnesses: t

CEAS. J. LOWREY, OHAs. L. SNOW. 

